Sadness and Discoveries

Harry sat in the sitting room at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. He half expected that in a minute Hermione would crash through the door and announce she had found a few books that would help with this years school work, or Ron to barge in offering Harry a game of Wizard Chess. Then his mind reminded him that the pair hadn't talked to him since two weeks after the incident in the Department of Mysteries. They had both told him that they blamed him for the injuries that they sustained; Ron had said Ginny refused to go near him. Certainly they had not minded the cuts and bumps they had got before but to recklessly put them into a battle was the last straw. Harry had tried to tell them that they had wanted to go, but they just told him it was the end of their friendship.

Out of those that had gone, only Luna and Neville sent letters to him. A small hooting brought him out of his musings and saw Hedwig perched on the armchair back, a letter in her beak.

"Thanks girl" Harry said petting her head and took the letter and read it.

Dear Harry

I know we don't write to each other, but we wanted to tell you that we believe you that Voldemort has returned. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley sent us owls to say not to write to you and to talk to you because they blamed you for what happened at the Ministry of Magic. We wanted to say that if Voldemort attacks, we will be at your side.

Yours sincerely

Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones

Warmth filled Harry as he read the letter again. He still had friends that he could talk to whenever he wanted. He started to get up when another owl arrived; it carried a slightly larger letter.

Dear Mr Potter

You have been named as a benefactor in the will of Sirius Black. The will reading will be at 11.30 am on Tuesday 21st August at Gringotts bank we have tried to contact you but have not received a reply. We trust this will reach you. The following will also be in attendance: Albus Dumbledore, Nymhodora Tonks, the Weasley family, Hermione Granger and Tom Pintpot. You are to be announced as the main benefactor of the will. Please reply using this owl with the reply note provided. Should you have any questions contact me at once

Griphook

Senior Accounts and Will Manager

Griphook! He had last seen him before he started Hogwarts when Hagrid had taken him from the Dursly's. He had been the Goblin that had taken him to his parents vault and then to vault 713 which had contained the Philosophers Stone, but Harry had not known that yet. Harry looked for the date and checked it against the calendar on the wall. TODAY? He looked for the reply slip in the envelope but couldn't find a quill to mark his reply. Figuring that it had some kind of charm on it, he said yes to the parchment and a mark appeared in the right place. He replaced the part in the envelope and the owl flew back. A will? Harry knew that Sirius was well off, but not enough to give a lot of people money. He didn't know what would happen at a magical will reading, but he assumed that it was more or less the same as a muggle one. He would have asked Hermione but she wasn't speaking to him. How could he find out what was going to happen? He needed to speak to Griphook, but Dumbledore had told him to ask his permission to go anywhere. But there was one way he thought of smiling to himself.

"Dobby" he called and the house elf appeared in front of him.

"Harry Potter has need of Dobby?" Dobby asked.

"Take me to Gringotts please, then return here until I call for you" Harry said.

Dobby didn't reply but took hold of Harry's hand and apparated to the main lobby of Gringotts and once there Dobby returned to the house. Harry went straight up to the nearest desk and spoke to the goblin.

"I am Harry Potter. I have come for the will reading of Sirius Black" he said the Goblin looked very familiar.

"Ah Mr Potter, you are a few minutes early" the Goblin paused. "Do you not recognise me?" he asked causing Harry to search his memory.

"Griphook?" Harry asked.

"Indeed Mr Potter" Griphook said, clearly delighted that Harry remembered. "If you will follow me please I will take you to the office for the reading" and with that Harry was led to a large office. He noticed a few chairs there and sat down on one while Grip sat at the desk. He hardly had time to settle when the door opened and admitted Albus Dumbledore, Nymhodora Tonks, the Weasley family - minus Charlie, Bill and the twins - , Hermione Granger and Tom the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron. So that was the last name of the landlord. He had wondered if Tom had one at all. They all sat down and waited the last few seconds until 11.30. When the clock showed the correct time, Griphook stood up and spoke.

"Good Morning everyone. This is the will reading of Sirius Orion Black. In contrast to normal Wizarding practice, this will is in the form of a written statement. It is however charmed to project his voice" Griphook touched the parchment with a long bony finger and sat down.

"Hello you lot. If you're reading this then I'm dead. I hope that it was either whilst killing Death Eaters or shot by the father while escaping from the window of twin 16 year old girls at the age of 100. (Even Griphook smiled at that) Well I'm not one to stand on ceremony or anything so heres what each of you is getting.

Remus Lupin, will receive his items seperatly, at my request as will Alastor "Mad eye" Moody.

Hermione Granger – To you I leave all the books in the libuary of 12 Grimmauld Place, with the exception of those on the top two shelves.

The Weasley family – I leave you 250,000 Galleons.

The Weasley Twins – as par instructions, you now have separate accounts from your family one and also 50 shares in Dr Filibusters. I give you 250,000 Galleons each.

Nymphadora Tonks – well first of all, you can't get me for using your name can you? To you, I restore your name to the house of black. I also give you 500,000 Galleons to spend on whatever you want.

Tom Pintpot – I leave you 1 million Gallons and instructions that you never pay rent or bills for the Leaky Cauldron until the end of time.

Albus Dumbledore – I leave you with absolutely nothing at all. The reason for that is because you have kept Harry from the things he should know. And don't get me started on you keeping his parents will from him.

Harry Potter – I leave you the rest of my money in my account plus the flying motor bike currently in the possession of Rubius Hagrid who gets 150,000 Galleons for looking after it and Harry Potter. Harry Potter is now an adult according to both his parent's wishes and the letter of Wizarding law. He is also to be given all my property.

Well that's it, so unless I come back from the dead, I want to thank you all for coming. Please pick up your goodie bags when you leave" and with that, the parchment shrivelled up and burned up to ashes. True to his word a table appeared next to the door containing sweets and wizard toys. The others started to leave, only Harry, Griphook and Dumbledore remained.

"Professor Dumbledore, I believe it is time to explain yourself to Mr Potter" Griphook said carefully.

"Starting with why I wasn't told about my parents will" added Harry.

"Everything I have done has been for your benefit, Harry" Dumbledore said with a sigh. "I had hoped to tell you about it whilst at Hogwarts. It is unfortunate that it has come out at this time".

"Griphook, when should I have been told about my parents will?" Harry asked the goblin while maintaining his gaze on the Headmaster.

"It is normally told on the 16th birthday of the eldest child, unless it has wished otherwise. In this case, it was so wished" Griphook turned to look at Harry "I am sorry Mr Potter, if I had known what was happening, I would have contacted you. I did think it strange that you had not replied to the owls we have sent you since the age of 8" the goblin glanced at Dumbledore with the goblin equivalent of contempt.

"That's alright Griphook, you was not to know. Tell me, does Professor Dumbledore have his fingers in anything else concerning my parents will?" Harry asked taking his gaze off Dumbledore.

"Indeed he does" Griphook opened a drawer and pulled out a small file. "After your parent's death, Professor Dumbledore informed us that he was taking over as the custodian of your will. He provided a letter which we assumed was correct. I however long maintained that it must have been false, as I have been your parents account manager since their accounts were placed together. I was overruled by the senior goblins. For that I must apologise" Griphook did seem very sorry indeed.

"There is no need to apologise Griphook, it is Professor Dumbledore who must do that. Tell me exactly what he has spent please" Harry said returning to staring at the headmaster who seemed to have gone a shade of paleness that would have given Snape a run for his money.

"Very well. He has spent exactly 16,000 Galleons and 2 Knuts" Griphook said after looking through the file. "You can however claim it back as head of the House of Potter" Griphook looked at Harry's astonished expression. "I take it that you was not told about that either".

"No, Griphook, I was not" Harry's look turned from hostile to downright anger. "When were you planning to tell me, Professor?"

"Harry, my dear boy, I may have done things that have been extreme, but it has all been for the greater good. Surely you believe me" Dumbledore said colour returning to his cheeks.

"I don't know what to believe from you anymore, Headmaster" Harry said not quite believing that this man had lied to him for so long.

"I don't understand your anger Harry. It has not cost you much money" Dumbledore said trying to contain the damage that had been caused.

"It may not have cost me money, but it has cost me most of my friends. Hermione and Ron will never speak to me again. Most of my own year wouldn't give me the time of day thanks to your meddling. And you can forget about ever using Grimmond Place again. Only my friends may enter there, and I'm sorry to say, your name no longer appears on that list" Harry had to stop before he lashed out and hit the man opposite.

"Mr Potter, there is one other thing. As Head of the House of Potter, you know have a seat on the Wizandgamot. Is there anything else I can do for you?" Griphook asked as he had been quiet during this exchange of words.

"Griphook, would you like to earn 100 Galleons? Right now, no questions asked? Harry asked.

"Certainly, Mr Potter. What must I do?" the goblin asked.

"Get him out of my sight" Harry said jerking his thumb at Dumbledore. And before he could say anything, Dumbledore disappeared from sight in a flash of blue light.

"That" Griphook said with an air of authority "was the best moment of my life in the last few years" and he smiled. A smiling goblin is a fearful sight, but Harry didn't mind as he too was laughing.

"How do I have only people I want enter what is mine?" Harry asked when he had regained the power of speech.

"When you go into the house, just speak aloud the names of those you wish to have entry. Others must ask you first if the wish to gain admittance" Griphook said.

"Thank you Griphook, that will be all for now. I thank you for all your help. I would like to keep you as my account manager, and hope that you will accept" Harry said and crossed to the door. He called for Dobby to take him to what was now his property. When he got back he dismissed Dobby, saying he could take the rest of the day off. It took thirty minutes and the threat of Harry dismissing him from his service to get the house elf to believe him. Harry stood alone in the sitting room and decide to choose who was aloud to enter the house.

"The following people are allowed to enter this house with my permission: Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood" Harry paused to think of anybody else "also these people: Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Rubius Hagrid and Minerva McGonagall" there was flash of white as the house rearranged those who were allowed to enter. "All others on the previous list may not enter by my order" the light flashed once more as it got rid of those on the list who no longer had permission to enter.

Harry sat in an armchair as he wondered what to do next. What could he do for the next week till he went back to Hogwarts? Then he hit upon the idea of visiting his remaining friends. He made a list of those few people on a scrap of parchment and decided to start at the top of the list. He glanced at the first name then stood and walked over to a loose floorboard that Sirius had once told him contained "Reserve Floo Powder". He reached in and pulled out a large container. Harry raised his wand and cried "Accio Trunk" and his faithful trunk came down to him and he cast a charm on it to make it lighter. He threw some floo powder into the fire and cried "Hannah Abbot's House" and jumped into the fire.

A/N: So what do you think of my first chapter? This is the first time I have written a proper Harry Potter fanfic, though I have written many others before this one.

As you can guess, this is an Old Dumbles bashing fic. Before you ask why pick Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood as he his remaining friends, it is because a) they have never voiced dissent while in the D.A and b) they don't get much fanfic time a lot of the time anyway.

Thanks to my fellow Harry Potter fanfic writer Ibris, (who has an account here – put in Ibris inside the search bar (just remember to change it to author selection first) – for beta reading this chapter.

Would you like a few clues over the next chapter? Well OK then.

Harry visits each of his friends in turn and they plan a little surprise for Dumbledore when they go back to Hogwarts. Let's just say that Harry uses his wealth and finds his true friends.